Railway-crossing signal



Aug. 14, 1928.

G. DALEN RAILWAY cnossme SIGNAL Filed Oct. 11. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INZE V To C PE Aug. 14, 1928.

G. DALE N RAILWAi CROSSING SIGNAL 2 m m m w h N T w 1 0 A m h H w m L 1 M- m m 1 in.

Patented Aug. 14, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAF DALEN, OF STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN GASAOCUMULATOR COMPANY, OF ELIZABETH, JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

RAILWAY-CROSSING SIGNAL.

Application filed October 11, 1922, Serial No. 593,697, and in Sweden October 14, 1921,

The present invention has for its general object to provide a signal of novel construction adapted to be situated upon a highway at a point in proximity to a railway or the like crossed by such highway, for the purpose of indicatlng to approaching traffic the conditions of traffic upon the railway. Such signal is adapted to indicate to approaching'traffic whether the railway track is clear or whether a train is approaching fully appreciated reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which one convenient form of embodiment thereof is illustrated. However it will be understood that the invention is susceptible of embodiment in other forms of construction than the one shown and that changes in the details of construction may be made within the scope of the claimswithout departing from the said invention.

In the drawing: 1

Fig. 1 isa view partly in elevation and partly in vertical longitudinal section of an apparatus embodying my invention; i H Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a view showing a portion of railway track and electrical connections with the apparatus embodying my invention for controlling and operating the same; and

4 is a sectional view, enlarged, of a portion of the apparatus showing more clearly a detail of construction.

Referring to the drawing: 1 designates a post or column upon the upper end of which the apparatus embodying the invention is supported. The said apparatus preferably should be situated upon the side of a road or highway a short distance from a railway line or track,-say about twenty yards dis tant therefrom. At least two apparatus embodying the invention should be provided at each crossing, one on one side of the railway track and the other upon the opposite side, so that traflic upon the highway approachtrack with safety.

ing the crossing from either direction may be warned and notified either that the crossing is clear or that danger is present or near.

.A casing 2 is mounted upon the top of the post 1 which casing isprovided at its front 'end with an opening which is closed by a transparent sheet of material 3, such as glass or the like. Located immediately to the rear of the said opening are two signals 4 and 5 mounted upon the forward swinging end of a lever pivoted at 6 upon the rear wall of the casing 2. The signals 4 and 5 are visible to approaching traffic. V

One of the signals, 4, has been selected to indicate that the track is clear and free 0 danger and that the traveller approaching upon the highway may cross the railway The other of said signals, 5, indicates stop which signals to the approaching traveller that a train is approaching the crossing and will soon pass.

In the construction as illustrated the signals are of disk shape and consist of non-transparent material provided with transparent letters of opal glass spelling either the word Clear or the word Stop or other words the one or the other of said disks may be moved into position between the flame at the burner 8 and the sheet 3 through which the disk may be observed by travellers upon the highway approaching a crossing.

Gas is supplied to the burner 8-through a conduit 9 divided into'two sections, as indi' cated. The forward end of the forward section is connected with the burner while the rear end thereof is connected with a casing or chamber 10 which is situated within a casing or chamber 10 to which the gas is delivered from the forward end of the other section of the said pipe. The casing or chamber 10 is provided with an opening 10 which is adapted to be opened and closed by a valve 10 having a stem 12 which extends V outwardly through an opening in a wall of of thetransparent sheet 3 the valve 10 occupies its closed position. When, however, a train is approaching so that the disk 5, indicating danger, ism'oved into position in rear of the said sheet 3 the valve 10 is opened by reason of the contact of the lower side of the lever 7 with the upper end of the valve stem 12. The pressure of the lever 7 upon the said stein compresses the spring 11 and depresses the valvevlO so that gas may pass from the casing or chamber 1O through the opening into the chamber 10 and thence through the forward section ofthe pipe 9 to the burner 8 .to provide an illuminating flame. Immediately the train has passed so that. there. is no further danger to a traveller crossing the track the lever 7 returns to the position shown in Fig. 1 bringing the Clear disk t again into position in rear of the sheet 3. The means for controlling and actuating the lever? will be hereinafter described in detail.

For the purpose of igniting gas which may be delivered to and discharged from the burner 8 a branch Jipe13 is provided which lcadsiron'i the cont uit 9, as indicated in Fig. 1, and feeds a pilot burner associated with the burner 8.

Referring now to the mechanism for actuating and controlling the lever 7, it will benoted that a link 14-. is provided the upper end of which is connected to the said lever intermediate its opposite ends, while the lower end thereof is connected to a diaphragm 15 which closes a casing or chann her 16 to whichgas is adapted to be supplied through a pipe or conduit 17 leading from a chamber 18. which may be regarded as a valve casing, in which is situatedan electrically actuated valve 19. The said valve consists of a pivotally supported plate which is connected with a laterallyextending projection 20 which constitutes the armature of an electro-magnet 21 which is included within a circuit 21. which comprises an auxiliary pivoted lever 21 of hell crank shape and a source 21 of electric energy or current. A tcnsioned-wire 21 tends to hold the said lever 21 in contact with a stop 21" in which position the circuit is broken. The lever 21 constitutes the armature of an electro-magnet 21 which is connected in a circuit; comprising sections of track rail 21.

A battery 21 supplies current for energizing the magnet 21. hen the magnet 21 is energized the lever 21* is held in the position shown in Fig. 3 in which position the circuit 21* is closed and the electroqi'iagnet 21 is energized. As indicated in Fig. 3 the sections 21 of the track are insulated from sections 21 and 21 upon the opposite sides thereof. One axle and the two wheels thereof of an approaching train are shown upon the section of track 21. As long as the train is upon either section 21 or 21", as the case may be, leaving section 21 clear, the Clear signal disk d of the apparatus would be displayed, because when the track section 21 is clear the current from the battery 21. flows through the electro-inagnct 2'1. and maintains the circuit 21 in closed position. If, however, a train moves into position upon the section of track 21' the circuit through the electro-rnagnct 21 is short circuited so that the said n'iagnet is d energized with the result that the lever ill" is moved into position by the spring 21" to break the circuit 2]. This causes de-encrgizing of the magnet 21. Upon the deencrgizing of this magnet a spring ill} within the chamber 18 and connected at one end to a projection extending outwardly from the valve 11) contracts to cause movement.- of the latter to the rightto disengage the same fronrthe valve seat 22 at the inner end of a pipe 24 which communicates with the air exteriorly oi the casing 2. Movement of the said valve 19 by the spring 26 causes the same to close the valve opening at 23 to prevent the delivery of gas to the chamber 18. It will be seen that when this occurs not only is the gas discharged into the atmosphere from the chamber 18 but no additional gas is delivered thereto except such as may flow from the chamber 16 in a reversedirection through the pipe 17. The outflow of gas from the chamber 16 permits collapse or descent of the diaphragm 15 due to the gravity of the link 14, the lever 7 and the parts connected to the outer end of the latter. It will be noted that this occurs when a train moves into position upon the section-of track 21 and it will also be noted that immediately upon this occurrence mechanism is put into operation to permit the automatic descending n'iovement of the lever 7 So as to carry the disk 5, indicating danger, into position in rear of the transparent sheet 3. As already set forth, when the lever descends it contacts with the valve stem 12 to open the valve 10 to permit the passage of gas through the Forward section of the pipe 9 to the burner 8. The gas, as it issues from the said burner, is ignited by the pilot flame so as to provide a lightin rear of the opening which is closed by the transparent sheet 3.

In the embodiment of my invention as tit illustrated and described I depend upon the pressure of the gas and therelease of such pressure for operating the lever 7 in the manner indicated, but it will be understood that my invention is not limited to the specific construction illustrated and that any other suitable known means may be em ployed for actuating the said lever.

It will also be understood that instead of employing a steady burning flame at the burner 8 a flame of any other suitable char acter may be employed for the purpose of producing signal lights, and it will also be understood that the signal disks 4 and 5 instead of having thereon the Words Clear and Stop may be of different colors, such as green and red, to indicate clear and danger conditions.

If desired a Searchlight device comprising a prism structure at 29 and a burner 30 may be rovided in the upper forward por tion of t e apparatus.

The upright 1 previously referred to may be provided with an enlarged hollow lower 2.) portion in which a gas receiver 27 is adapted to be placed. From this receiver a gas conduit 28 extends which is connected at its upper end with the conduit 9, as is clearly indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

It will be apparent that if anything should happen to interrupt the operation of the electro-magnet 21 or which would allow the gas to escape from the casing 16 the lever 7 would move into position to display the signal Stop, thus presenting a warning to travellers upon a highway approaching a railway crossing provided with the apparatus.

It will be seen that by my invention I have provided a simple and eflicient novel means whereby the traffic upon a highway approaching a railway crossing from either direction may be warned and informed as to the trafiic conditions upon the tracks of the railway which are crossed by such highway. By the employment of an apparatus embodying my invention the danger is reduced to a minimum and the safety of travellers over the highway at such crossings very much enhanced.

The word disks appearing herein is employed in a descriptive sense and not in a limiting sense and is intended to include not only disks of the character shown but any other suitable signaling means.

Having thus described my invention I claim: I

1. A railway crossing signal device, comprising, in combination, a pivoted lever having signaling devices upon a swinging end portion thereof, a casing, one side of which is closed by a diaphragm, a connection between the said diaphragm and the said lever whereby movements of the said diaphragm cause movements of the said lever to actuate the said signaling device, .a valve chamber, means for supplying gas to said chamber, a conduit leading from the said chamber to the said diaphragm casing, a conduit leading from the said chamber to the atmosphere, a conduit for supplying gas to said chamber, a valve within said chamber for controlling the ingress and egress of gas into the said chamber, and an electric circuit con trolled by track conditions for controlling the position of said valve, a burner for illuminating said signal device, a conduit for supplying gas to said burner,-and means adapted to be actuated by the movemets of said lever for controlling the supply of gas to the said burner.

2. A railway crossing signal device, comprising, in combination, a lever pivoted at one end and having signal devices at its opposite end, a casing, one side of which is closed by a flexible diaphragm, a connection between said diaphragm and said lever whereby movements of said diaphragm cause movements of the said lever, a track controlled circuit, means adapted to be controlled by the condition of said circuit for controlling the gas pressure in the said diaphragm casing to thereby control thepositions of the said signal devices, a burner situated in rear of the said signal devices, and means adapted to be controlled by the movements of said lever for controlling the lighting of the said burner.

3. A railway crossing signal device, comprising, in combination, a signalidisc, a gas burner located behind said disc, a conduit having a passageway for supplying illuminating gas to the said burner, a support for the said disc, a casing provided with a movable diagraphm the movements of which are adapted to be caused by variations of pressure'of gas within the said casing, a second casing having communication with the first named casing, an electrically controlled valve located in the said second casing for controlling the flow of gas from said conduit to said casing, a valve for controlling the flow of gas through the said conduit, a

connection between the said diaphragm and the said support whereby movements of the said diaphragm cause corresponding movements of the said support, and means inter-' mediate the second named valve and the said support whereby movements of the latter occasion movements of the said valve to con trol the flow of gas through the said conduit to the said burner.

i. A railway crossing signal device, com prising, in combination, signal discs, an oscillatable lever for supporting said discs, a gas burner located behind the said discs, a conduit having a passageway through which gas is adapted to be supplied to the said burner, a casing one side of which is closed by a movable diaphragm the movements of which are adapted to be eansed by variations of gas pressure withinthe said casing, an electrically controlled valve for controlling; the flow of gas from the passageway in said conduit into said casing, a: valve for controlling the flow of gas through said eonduit, means for normally holding the said last mentioned valve in closed position, a connection between the said diaphragm and the said oscillatable leverwhereby the vari- 10 GUSTAF DALEN. 

